Visual stimulation attachment for use in vehicles

Abstract

A visual stimulation attachment for amusing an infant riding in a child safety seat or child in a vehicle that has a headliner includes a visually-stimulating background member and an attachment device (e.g., a micro-hook material) secured to the background member and operable to releasably couple the background member to the headliner of the vehicle. The visual stimulation attachment may have one or more tether lines with a dangling member attached to it. A method of amusing an infant with a visually stimulating attachment and of manufacturing a visually stimulating attachment are also presented.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A visual stimulation attachment for amusing an infant riding in a child safety seat supported on a passenger seat of a vehicle or a child on the passenger seat in the vehicle, the vehicle having an interior ceiling with a headliner, the visual stimulation attachment comprising: 
       a background member having a first side and a second side; and  
       an attachment device secured to the second side of the background member and the attachment device is operable to releasably couple the background member to a headliner, wherein the attachment device comprises a micro-hook material that is operable to form a hook-and-loop connection when the micro-hook material is pressed against the headliner.  
     
     
       2. The visual stimulation attachment of  claim 1 , wherein the micro-hook material comprises a micro version of VELCRO® adhesive material (hook portion), product number HTH 830. 
     
     
       3. The visual stimulation attachment of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of decorative attachments coupled to the first side of the background member. 
     
     
       4. The visual stimulation attachment of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       a tether line having a first end and a second end, the first end structurally coupled to the background member; and  
       a dangling member coupled to the tether line so that the dangling member is free to move in three-dimensions in response to movement of a vehicle when the attachment device is coupled to a headliner of the vehicle.  
     
     
       5. The visual stimulation attachment of  claim 4 , wherein the tether line is sized and configured so that when the background member is releasably coupled to the headliner of a vehicle the first end of the tether line will be out of reach of an infant when the infant is in the child safety seat that is resting on the passenger seat within the vehicle. 
     
     
       6. The visual stimulation attachment of  claim 4 , wherein the tether line is between 0.5 inches and 3.5 inches (1.3 to 8.9 centimeters) in length. 
     
     
       7. The visual stimulation attachment of  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of decorative attachments coupled to the first side of the background member and wherein the background member, decorative attachments, and dangling member comprise a multi-colored and unified theme. 
     
     
       8. A visual stimulation attachment for use in amusing children or infants in vehicles comprising: 
       a background member having a first side and a second side;  
       an attachment device having a first side and a second side, the first side of the attachment device coupled to the second side of the background member, the second side of the attachment device operable to releasably attach to a first side of a vehicle's headliner, wherein the attachment device has a micro-hook material forming the second side of the attachment device;  
       a decorative attachment member having a first side and a second side, the second side of the decorative attachment member attached to the first side of the background member, the first side of the decorative attachment member having visual indicia to stimulate visually an infant or child who looks upon the visual indicia;  
       a tether line having a first end and a second end, the first end structurally coupled to the background member whereby the tether line is free to move in three dimensions when the background member is attached to a vehicle's headliner; and  
       a dangling member coupled to the second end of the tether line.  
     
     
       9. A visual stimulation attachment for use in amusing children or infants in vehicles comprising: 
       a background member having a first side and a second side;  
       an attachment device having a first side and a second side, the first side of the attachment device coupled to the second side of the background member, the second side of the attachment device operable to releasably attach to a first side of a vehicle's headliner;  
       a decorative attachment member having a first side and a second side, the second side of the decorative attachment member attached to the first side of the background member, the first side of the decorative attachment member having visual indicia to stimulate visually an infant or child who looks upon the visual indicia;  
       a tether line having a first end and a second end, the first end structurally coupled to the background member whereby the tether line is free to move in three dimensions when the background member is attached to a vehicles headliner; and  
       a dangling member coupled to the second end of the tether line.  
     
     
       10. The visual stimulation device of  claim 9  further comprising a decorative attachment secured to the first side of the background member. 
     
     
       11. The visual stimulation device of  claim 10  wherein the decorative attachment is operable to glow in the dark. 
     
     
       12. A visual stimulation attachment to amuse an infant riding in a car safety seat or child or an adult in a car having a headliner, the stimulation attachment comprising: 
       a decorative attachment member having a first side and a second side; and  
       an attachment device having a first side and a second side, the second side of the attachment device operable to releasably couple to the headliner and the first side of the attachment device coupled to the second side of the decorative attachment member.  
     
     
       13. The visual stimulation attachment of  claim 12  further comprising: 
       a tether line having a first end and a second end, the first end of the tether line coupled to the decorative attachment, whereby the tether line is free to move in three dimensions when the second side of the attachment device is attached to a vehicle's headliner; and  
       a dangling member coupled to the second end of the tether line.  
     
     
       14. A visual stimulation attachment for amusing a infant in car seat or a child in car having a headliner, the attachment comprising: 
       a micro-hook attachment device having a first side and a second side, the micro-hook attachment operable to engage a headliner of a vehicle placed thereon and to form a hook-and-loop connection between the micro-hook attachment device and the headliner;  
       a background member having a first side and a second side, the second side of the background member attached to the first side of the micro-hook attachment device;  
       a decorative attachment member having a first side and a second side, the second side of the decorative attachment member coupled to the first side of the background member;  
       a tether line formed to have length between 0.5 inches and 4.0 inches (1.3 to 10.2 centimeters), the tether line having a first end and a second end, the first end structurally coupled to the background member; and  
       a dangling member coupled to the second end of the tether.  
     
     
       15. The visual stimulation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the dangling member comprises a three-dimensional item. 
     
     
       16. The visual stimulation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the dangling member comprises glow-in-the-dark material. 
     
     
       17. A method of amusing an infant riding in a child safety seat or a child in a vehicle having a headliner, the method comprising the steps of: 
       providing a visual stimulation attachment having a micro-hook material secured on one side; and  
       attaching the visual stimulation attachment to the headliner of the vehicle over the infant or child by pressing the micro-hook material to the headliner to form a releasable hook-and-loop connection.  
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the attachment comprises the attachment of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the attachment comprises the attachment of  claim 8 . 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the attachment comprises the attachment of  claim 12 . 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the attachment comprises the attachment of  claim 14 . 
     
     
       22. The visual stimulation attachment of  claim 12  wherein the decorative attachment member comprises: a photograph frame.